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They come from the collection of a north German aficionado who devoted himself to the study and collection of central Asian nomadic carpets.

The carpets, rugs and weaves, generally dominated by the colour red, served many decorative and symbolic purposes: as saddlebags, tent bands and other wall-hangings at the entrance of the traditional yurt the Turkmen people lived in and as part of a dowry.

One of the most impressive pieces is the fragment of a tent band which still measures a formidable 30ft 8in x 13in (9.35m x 32cm). Pieces of this quality took years to make and were often used to decorate wedding tents.

This fragment can be dated to the early 19th century and is estimated at €10,000-12,000.